Often, the rear (e.g., second) row vehicle seats in a vehicle are fixed and only may provide seating to occupants. However, a full seating capacity may not be required within a vehicle according to the current needs of the occupants. Thus, unused seating capacity may be provided at the expense of available storage. Conversely, in other vehicles, a fixed storage area may be provided within the rear row vehicle seats at the expense of seating for an additional occupant. Currently, vehicles may provide a device or method to completely remove the center portion of the rear row vehicle seats when there is no occupant, but it does not optimize seating or storage based on needs of the vehicle occupants.
Further, due to the geometry of the rear row vehicle seats and the slight elevation of the center portion of the rear row vehicle seats due to the bolster regions, it may be difficult to reach ISOFIX wires in order to attach a child seat to the center portion of the rear row vehicle seats. For example, the seat cushion must be physically compressed by the user in order to access the ISOFIX wires while attaching the child seat to the wires and ensuring that the attachment is properly engaged.
Additionally, seating for the center occupant of the rear row vehicle seats may be uncomfortable since the center region is often narrowed by the inboard bolster regions of the outboard seats.
It may be desirable to provide a vehicle seat that optionally provides a seating area and a storage area based on the current need of the vehicle occupants, while providing easier access to the ISOFIX wires and more comfortable seating in the center portion of the rear row vehicle seats.